1988 Ford Class C 27ft. with FORD 460. It has an add on oil cooler that had leaking fitting on the hoses going to the small add on radiator or cooling unit. Could not find new fitting at 3 parts stores so had new hoses made with all new fittings put all back together now it seams the cooling unit or radiator is leaking. The whole kit is bolted on in place of the oil filter. Can I just remove the whole thing and not have an oil cooler just go back to only the oil filter. Do I need an oil cooler on this size motor home with the size of motor or maybe using new synthetic motor oil the cooler not needed.

Talked with Mechanic at parts house and reading these posts. I am taking the engine oil cooler off and going without. Was advised from Mechanic to keep eye on engine temp gauge on dash for change and I will also be adding a temp gauge as suggested above. Planning trip to Texas next week and will let you know.

I know a guy that had a 14' box van, and it also had the same oil cooler on it. The cooler came from the factory, and Ford should be selling the replacement parts. My 97 motorhome has a better design, a oil to water cooler in the lower radiator hose. A friend with a 85 E-250 van put in a 460" engine and needed a adapter to fit the oil filter into the space provided, because the block was designed for the truck, not the van steering and front axle location under the block.

You might want to look into a water cooled oil cooler. Then you will need to find custom water hoses (probably stock hoses from the donor year vehicle) to fit the cooler. Look for a E-350 or E-450 van from 92- 96, or E-350 from that same time with the 460" engine. They might have a factory water cooled oil cooler, not sure.

The 94 F-250 work truck I had back then had a factory installed oil cooler too. 351" engine. Probably because they spec the highest cooling capacity, and I recall them having a hard time looking for the right lower coolant hoses when they needed replacement.

All the coolers should bolt onto your van style engine, yet you might have to see of the E-350 van is specific - you might not be able to use a truck style coolant to oil cooler. Anyway there should be plenty of E-350 box vans at the local junkyard that had 460" engines in them. And you might be able to get one that was on a van with a diesel engine, or even go a few years later into the V10 powered coach, and find something that will work. Yet be careful if it has metric fittings, they might not work so well.

The oil cooler does help get rid of a lot of heat. I know a guy who had a Mitsubishi Montero, and it was always running hot. He installed a oil cooler off of a hydraulic reservoir cooler, it was about 12" X 4" X 4" and had 1" lines going to it, rated to cool 45,000 Btu's per hour with 100 degree delta T. (that is oil entering is 100F warmer than the air going over the cooler). The engine never overheated again.

You might be able to buy a hydraulic oil to air cooler from a place like Grainger.com and they come with fittings that a hose company can adapt to your automotive lines. Pressure rating is more than sufficient, around 250 PSI.

Or JcWhitney.com sells DeRale oil coolers made to install aftermarket. They typically use a 3/4" hose and tubing inside the cooler, some might be 1/2" hoses and tubing inside the cooler. Some even come with a small fan, or combination with a transmission oil cooler. Your local Pep Boys or Auto Zone can also order any DeRale product.

I do not think it is necessary. Our 460 developed a leak around the oil filter adapter that is bolted to the block that then the filter screws onto. According to the local Ford parts people the gasket and the O ring for this adapter is no longer available. However I contacted Ford Parts direct and they had the part numbers and then the local ford dealer was able to order them. http://www.fordparts.com/ContactUs.aspx?gnav=foot:features

Is it necessary ? I don't know. I would have to think it was considered necessary by Ford at the time it was built. Having said that, I am planning to remove mine because it is severely rusted up, and likely clogged. However, I plan to do some upgrades to the coach to improve cooling. I'm installing a new, bigger radiator, new water pump, new fan clutch, and new (lower temp) thermostat. I hope the newer (and hopefully improved technology)parts will improve cooling enough that the oil cooler is not needed. If Im wrong, I'll put a new one back on.